Robertas Šervenikas

Conductor ROBERTAS ŠERVENIKAS is often praised for the intensive and diverse creative activities ranging from the first performances of large-scale symphonic compositions by Lithuanian composers to distinctive and mature interpretations of contemporary and classical repertoire. “The way Šervenikas lightens the density of texture, punctuates transitions and electrifies the development till the last highly tense outbreak, reveals his truly international class. No less than the fact how the orchestra follows him with great attention, combines passion with professional precision” wrote German daily Der Tagesspiel. In recognition of his accomplishments, he was awarded the Lithuanian National Arts and Culture Prize in 2005.

After graduating from the St. Petersburg Conservatory in choral, opera and orchestral conducting, Šervenikas began working with the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra (LNSO) in 1993 and was appointed its Second Conductor. He led the LNSO in major music festivals in Germany (Rheingau, Ludwigsburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern), France (Forbach, Hector Berlioz and Evian), Italy (Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli), and Lithuania (Vilnius).

Šervenikas has been invited to conduct the orchestras of St. Petersburg Philharmonic, Slovenian National Opera, Russian State Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic (Great Britain) and Israel Camerata, among others. Since 2008, he has also been regularly invited to conduct performances at the Munich State Opera.

He has led various orchestras in almost all European countries, Japan, Republic of South Africa, Brazil, Mexico, Oman, Israel and Russia. He has graced the podium in such halls as Moscow Conservatory Concert Hall, Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Auditorium de nationale in Madrid, Alte Oper in Frankfurt, Cadogan Hall in London, Konzerthaus in Berlin, Festival Hall and Symphony Hall in Osaka, Suntory Hall and Metropolitan Art Space in Tokyo, philharmonic halls of Cologne, Hamburg and Sankt Petersburg.

Maestro has collaborated with cellists Mstislav Rostropovich, David Geringas and Mischa Maisky, trumpeter Maurice André, pianists Denis Matsuev, Arcadi Volodos, Mikhail Pletnev and Freddy Kempf, violinists Sarah Chang, Maxim Fedotov and Julian Rachlin, violists Wolfram Christ and Yury Bashmet to name but a few.

In 2008, Šervenikas was appointed the Music Director of the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre where he has conducted the new productions of a number of operas (Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov, Verdi’s La traviata, Bizet’s Carmen, Jonas Tamulionis’ The Tiny Lingonberry, Ponchielli’s I Lituani, Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin, Wagner’s Lohengrin, Onutė Narbutaitė’s Cornet) and ballets (Barbora Radvilaitė,Anatolijus Šenderovas’ Desdemona, Delibes’ Coppélia, Giedrius Kuprevičius’ Čiurlionis). His repertoire also includes ballets Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Red Giselle, Romeo and Juliet,Giselle and Don Quixote.